Presently known means of wetting swimming pool slides employ relatively low volumetric flow rates, the flow rate typically being characterized as a trickle. Such a flow rate is typically adequate to wet the entire bed of the slide only after a person has gone down the slide and disbursed the water thereacross. Subsequent users can move down the slide in relative comfort. However, the first person down the slide may experience some discomfort from contact with nonwetted portions of the slide. Known means of wetting slides are ineffective at providing a film of water over the entire bed of the slide.
One type of known slide wetting means employs a tube extending across a top of the slide with a plurality of holes therein. The holes are too small to provide the desired wetting effect given the typically available water pressure. Water resultantly trickles from the holes and down the slide. Additionally, flow to the tube is commonly limited by the diameter of the hose supplying the tube being no larger than the tube.
It is desired to provide a slide having wetting means which maintains a film of water over substantially the entire bed of the slide. It is also desired to provide a slide with a wetting means which induce minimal back pressure at a high volumetric rate of flow, thereby accommodating a high rate of flow therethrough at relatively low outlet pressures typically associated with swimming pool filter pumps having multiple flow outlets in parallel with one another. It is also desired to be able to easily convert a slide with no wetting means or inadequate wetting means to one having wetting means able to maintain a film of water over the slide bed.